Vacuum tube support



Nov. 7, 1950 E. w. BREISCH VACUUM TUBE SUPPORT Filed July 14, 1948INVENJ'OR. Edge Brecsclz.

HIS

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1950 VACUUM ,TUBE SUPPORT Edgar W. Breisch,Edgewood, Pa.,'assignor to'The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application J ulyl l, 1948, SerialNo. 38,720

My invention relates to vacuum tube su ports,

and more particularly to means for protection of vacuum tubes fromvibration. imp-act and shock.

It is well known that vibration, impact and shock applied to vacuumtubes may damage the tube elements and may impair the tub-es operatingcharacteristics. Many types of tubes are standard commercial items whichare produced bvlarge-scale methods in or er to reduce their cost. Thedesign and construction of such standard tubes are in a large me surebased on thesupposition that t e tubes will be used in equipment locatedin relatively quiet places, such as in radio receivers located in homes.

In certain uses, such as, telephone systems for railwa trains and likemobile units, the tubes of the equipment become subjected to vibration,impact and shock much more severe than that for which their constructionis designed. It has been found that vibration and impact to which thevacuum tubes of train telephone systems are subjected tend to graduallyloosen the crimped section of metal tubes of standard commercial desi nallowing movement bet een, the metal shell and the base, and thiscontinued movement flexes and strains the connection leads from the tubeelements to the base pins, and eventually one or more of these leads maybecome broken, thus prematurely ending the service life of the tube.

This means that systems using tubes under severe operating conditionsmust resort to a specially designed tube which greatly increases'thefirst cost or else must resort, to frequent tube inspection andreplacement which increases the cost of maintenance of the system.

Again. in many of these tube uses, proper ventilation of the tube isessential for its desired operation due to the relatively hightemperature at which the tube operates.

In view of the aforementioned conditions in vacuum tube uses, a featureof my invention is the provision of an improved vacuum tube support tolessen the effects of vibration, shock and 7 Claims. (01. 25.0-27.5)

ple and rugged design to permit its construction at-low cost, which doesnot have parts diflicult for the maintainer to handle and which willautomatically grip the tube tighter as the vibration becomes excessive;

Other features, objects and advantages of my invention will appear asthe specification progresses.

I shall describe one form of vacuum tube support embodying my invention,together with certain modifications that I may use and which also embodyt e invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof inclaims.

I In the accompan ing drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are an elevation View patly in section and a plan. View, r spectively. showing a supportembodving my invention when applied to a metal envelope t pe of vacuumtube. Fig. 3 and 4 are frasn ental views showing modifications of thetube sup ort of Fi s. v a d 2 and which modifications also embody theinvention.

In each of the several views, like reference characters designatesimilar parts.-

Refe ring'to the drawings'the reference character l6 designates'a Vacuumtube having a metal envelope i and a base 12 to which the pins of the tbe electrodes are brought out for connection with the tube socket in theusual manner. The tube Ill may be any one of many ty es of tubes of thisgeneral construction. A tube socket i3 is mounted in any suitable mannerin a panel or base plate It for receiving the pins of the tube It! forconnection with the outside circuits, the tube being inserted'into thesocket and firmly held in place therein in the usual arrangement.

' The panel or base plate is may be of any suitable material, and it isa part of the chassis or other frame work not shown on which the tubeand its related equipment are mounted, the chassis in turn being securedin a suitable housmg.

It is apparent that vibration and shock applied to the housing will betransmitted to'the panel M and in turn transmitted-through 'the tubesocket to the tube itself and for communication systems using tubescarried on railway trains, the vibration and shock transmitted to thetubes l0 may be relatively severe notwithstanding the chassis on whichthe tubes are carried may itself be supported in the housing :by shockabsorbing means. To protect the tube .89 against the effects ofvibration and shock, I provide a tube support for each individual tubeof the equipment; This tube support comprises two tube.

major parts, a supporting annular shell I and a flexible ring I6.

The annular shell I5 is a tubular member having an inside diametersomewhat greater than the maximum outside diameter of the tube envelopeII and its base I2. The shell I5 is preferably a metal shell and asshown in Fig. 1, it is formed with a flange I'I so that the shell may besecured to the panel I4 by the flange I! being riveted as by rivets I8to the panel. This shell I5 is assembled on the panel I4 to be coaxialwith the tube socket I3 and with the tube II] when inserted in thesocket. The shell I5 is of a length suflicient to surround the tube' II]a given distance above the tube base. The upper or free end of the shellI 5 is flared outwardly, as will be apparent by an inspection of Fig. 1,for its upper portion to provide a conical seat. Preferably the lengthof the shell I5 is made such that a conical seat of a given length isprovided and with the base of the seat somewhat above the top of thebase of the tube when the tube is inserted in the socket. The flexiblering I6 is formed with an inside diameter substantially equal to theoutside diameter of the metal envelope I I of the The outer surface ofthe ring I6 is made wedge shaped to fit into the conical seat of theshell I5. Thus the ring I6 when slipped over the tube I0 provides a snugfit around the tube and a complete seat in the shell I5. The width ofthe ring I5 is made suflicient so that a small portion of the ringextends above the upper rim of the shell I5. The ring I6 is of amaterial which will withstand high temperatures without appreciabledeterioration and without losing its flexibility. Preferably the ring I6is made of Silicone compound. In this position around the tube, the

the shell I5.

For ventilation of the tube, the ring I6 is preferably made with grooveson the inside surface of the ring, as best shown in Fig. 2. Also, as anaid to the ventilation of the tube, the shell I5 is preferablyperforated around its lower straight portion as illustrated at in Fig.3. This arrangement has been found to provide sufficient ventilationaround the lower portion of the tube and for the tube itself so that thetube can operate without excessive temperature.

In place of the shell I5 being formed with a flange I1 and secured tothe panel I4 as by rivets, the shell I5 may be formed with ears 2| andthe panel I4 formed with corresponding holes through which the ears 2|may be inserted, and the ears bent over to secure the shell to thepanel, this modification in the mounting of the shell being illustratedin Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 4, threaded spade lugs 22 may be riveted or welded tothe lower portion of the shell I5 and the panel I4 drilled to receivethe threaded portion of the lugs 22 and the shell I5 secured to thepanel I4 by lock washers 24 and nuts 23 run down on the threaded portionof the lugs.

With the shell I5 assembled on the panel I4 around the tube socket, thetube I0 is inserted in the socket in the usual manner and the flexiblering I6 of the tube support is then slipped over the tube and pressedinto the seat on the shell.

To remove the tube it is only necessary to grasp the upper portion ofthe tube envelope and pull the tube from the socket in the normal way.Should there be a tendency for the flexible ring I6 to bind the tube inthe shell I5, this can be overcome by pressing upward against theportion of the ring extending above the rim of the shell. It followsthat with the tube in place in the socket, the flexible ring of thesupport can be readily applied to the tube and the support will causelittle or no hindrance in the removal of the tube from the socket.

construction to be of low cost, and it is free from having parts thatrequire removal or adjustment by a maintainer.

Although I have herein shown and described but one form of vacuum tubesupport embodying my invention, it is understood that various changesand modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A vacuum tube support for protection of a tube when it is inserted ina socket mounted on a housing panel, comprising, an annular shell havingdimensions for it to surround the tube to be protected with a givenclearance, said shell having one end secured to said panel coaxial withthe tube socket and its free end flared to form a conical seat, saidshell of a length for its free end to extend above the base of saidtube, and a rin of flexible Silicone like plastic material having aninside diameter to slip over the tube body and its outer surface wedgeshaped to fit said conical seat of said shell.

2. A vacuum tube support for protection of a tube against vibration andshock when the tube is inserted in a socket mounted on a housing panel,comprising, a metal annular shell having an inside diameter greater thanthe outside diameter of the base of the tube, said shell having one endsecured to the panel coaxial with the tube socket and of a length forthe free end of the shell to extend a given distance along the tubeabove the tube base, the free end of the. shell flared to form a conicalseat, the base of the conical seat being above the tube base, a ring offlexible material of Silicone like compound and having an insidediameter substantially equal to the diameter of the tube body and itsouter surface made wedge shaped to fit said conical seat of said shell,and said ring of a width to extend a little above said shell when thering is slipped over the tube and seated in said shell.

3. A vacuum tube support for protection of a tube against vibration andimpact when the tube is inserted in a socket mounted on a housing panel,comprising, a metal tubular member dimensioned to surround the vacuumtube with some clearance, said member having one end flanged and rivetedto said panel coaxial with the vacuum tube when the tube is inserted inits socket, said tubular member having its free end flared to form aconical seat the base of which is above the top of the vacuum tube base,a flexible ring of Silicone like plastic material and which ischaracterized to withstand a relatively high temperature without loss offlexibility, said ring di-- mensioned to slip over the vacuum tube bodyand its outer surface made wedge shaped to fit said conical seat of saidtubular member, and said ring having a grooved inner surface to provideventilation for the vacuum tube when the ring is slipped over the tubeand seated in said tubular member.

4. A support for protection of a metal type vacuum tube againstvibration and impact when the tube is inserted in a socket secured to abase plate, comprising, a metal annular shell secured to said base platecoaxial with said tube when it is inserted in the socket, said shellhaving an inside diameter to surround the tube and its base with a givenclearance and of a length to extend along the tube a given distanceabove the tube base, the free end of said shell expanded to form aconical seat with the base of the seat above the tube base, a ring ofsoft plastic like flexible material which is characterized to withstanda relatively high temperature with no loss of flexibility, said ringhaving an inside diameter to permit the ring to be slipped on the tubebody and an outer surface made wedge shaped to fit said conical seat ofthe shell when the ring is slipped over the tube, said ring having itsinner surface grooved to give ventilation to the tube, and said shellprovided with perforations below the conical seat to aid in theventilation of the tube.

5. A support for protection of a metal type vacuum tube againstvibration and impact when the tube is inserted in a socket mounted on ahousing panel, comprising, a metal annular shell having an insidediameter to permit the shell to surround the tube with some clearance,said shell having ears on one end securing the shell to said panelcoaxial with said tube when it is inserted in said socket, said shellhaving its free end expanded to provide a conical seat, a ring offlexible Silicone compound material which is characterized bymaintaining its flexibility at relatively high temperatures, said ringhaving an inside diameter that permits the ring to be slipped over saidtube with a snug fit and its outside surface shaped to fit said seat ofsaid shell, and said ring having a width for the ring to extend abovethe free end of said shell to aid in loosening the ring when the tube isremoved from its socket.

6. A support for protection of a vacuum tube against vibration andimpact when the tube is inserted in a socket mounted on a housing panel,comprising, a metal annular shell having an inside diameter to permitthe shell to surround the tube with a given clearance, said shellsecured at a one end to said panel coaxial with the tube when it isinserted in said socket, said shell of a length for its free end toextend a given distance above the tube base and having its free endexpanded to form a seat, a ring of flexible Silicone like material, saidring being characterized by maintaining its flexibility at relativelyhigh temperatures, said ring adapted to slip over said tube with a snugfit and having its outer surface formed to fit said seat of said shell,and of a width to extend a little above the free end of the shell whenin place on said shell seat, and said ring formed with grooves and saidshell formed with perforations to ventilate the tube.

'7. A support for protection of a vacuum tube against vibration andimpact when the tube is inserted in a socket mounted on a housing panel,comprising, a metal annular shell having an inside diameter to permitthe shell to surround the tube with a given clearance, a plurality ofspade lugs secured to one end of said shell and having their free endsthreaded, said panel provided with openings to secure said shell to saidpanel coaxial with said tube when inserted in its base by nuts run downon the threaded portions of said lugs, said shell of a length to extenda given distance up along the tube and having its free end flared toform a seat, and a ring of flexible Silicone like material, said ringhaving an inside diameter only slightly greater than the outsidediameter of the tube and having its outer surface formed to fit saidseat of the shell for said ring to slip over the tube and fit onto theseat of the shell.

EDGAR. W. BREISCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PA'AI'ENTS

